The back cover gave me pause, as I wondered if this was another depressing gay story, ending in suicide. Instead, it is the story of Aaron Englund, who, through a series of circumstances, including his mother abandoning him at the age of seventeen, never quite found himself, out though he was as a gay man. Lori Ostlund's novel travels back and forth in time, exploring Aaron's abusive childhood with his rotten father, the parade that changed everyone's lives, and his mother's abandonment of him, and the discoveries he makes about her, decades later.
What I did not like was Aaron walking out on his older partner, Walter, just as his mother did to him. Aaron journeys to San Francisco, to try and find his niche. For some reason, perhaps that maternal abandonment all those years ago, Aaron feels more comfortable alone than in company. This realization causes him to leave Walter, but the end suggests they will somehow stay in touch.
To my relief, there was no moral punishing, no suicide, no one coming to a bad end. Lori Ostlund's story is a smooth mix of Truman Capote and Carson McCullers, without quite the prose distinction of either.
But it is not "The Well Of Loneliness," dolls, and for that we must be grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to see what Ostlund follows this up with. She is among the better LGBT writers I have read recently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Girls, it is a must! Deeply insightful and penetrating!
Just perfect for your next tea, with cakes and dainties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was just thinking about that. Who is the Truman or Carson these days?
ReplyDeleteWho even comes close??
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
Exactly! No one comes close!
This book evoked similarities but
the writing was hardly poetic!